Currently, several computing system implemented map and route calculation systems are available to consumers. Initially, computing system implemented map and route calculation systems were largely desktop-based services such as “Yahoo Maps” that required both a traditional computing system, as well as an Internet connection. However, more recently, vehicle mounted and/or portable navigation systems have become available, many of which integrate wireless network capabilities and/or a GPS function to provide relatively precise point-to-point directions and/or highly localized maps.
Over the past decade, more and more consumers have come to rely on these computing system implemented map and route calculation systems for obtaining the majority of their maps and directions. As a result many vehicles now come from the factory equipped with a computing system implemented map and route calculation system. In addition, many consumer electronic devices, such as cellular telephones, now also include a computing system implemented map and route calculation feature.
While the capabilities of current computing system implemented map and route calculation systems are impressive, currently available computing system implemented map and route calculation systems provide the user very limited ability to designate route preferences. For instance, using currently available computing system implemented map and route calculation systems, the user has little opportunity to customize the suggested route to take into account secondary, but often very significant, route considerations such as the most fuel efficient route, routes having the most, or the least, right or left hand turns, routes having the most, or the least, stoplights and/or stop signs, routes avoiding or incorporating designated business routes, routes avoiding or incorporating stop signs as opposed to traffic lights, routes having specified speed limits, routes having a specified number of traffic lanes, routes avoiding or incorporating, major metropolitan areas, routes avoiding, or incorporating, specified changes in elevation, etc.
As a result of this limited preference input capability of currently available computing system implemented map and route calculation systems, many opportunities to save fuel and/or time are missed by the average user, and the user is denied the opportunity to choose a route that is best suited to the user's needs, and/or which would potentially result in the most pleasant travel experience for the user.